Mosque threat-to-kill photo gets teen charged

A 19-year-old Christchurch man has been charged in the wake of the circulation of a threatening photo outside Al-Noor mosque.

The Al-Noor Mosque in Christchurch after the massacre last year. Picture: AAP

A 19-year-old Christchurch man has been charged by police in the wake of the circulation of a threatening photograph outside Al-Noor mosque.

Sam Brittenden appeared in court on Thursday for failing to assist police with a search warrant.

His arrest followed a raid at a Christchurch property in relation to the photograph.

Al-Noor mosque was the site of 42 deaths in last year’s terrorist attack, which will be commemorated on March 15 — the first anniversary of the tragedy. New Zealanders are anxiously anticipating that event, while police are upping security around Al-Noor and the Linwood Islamic Centre, where another nine deaths occurred.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was devastated to learn of the circulation of the offensive photo, which showed a masked man threatening to kill worshippers.

It was shared on a social media network thousands of times.

Mr Brittenden, who lost a request for name suppression, is likely to face further charges, ­according to several reports.

He has been bailed on the condition he does not enter Hagley Park — the site of the March 15 commemorations near Al-Noor mosque — or possess firearms. The teenager is a member of a white nationalist group, which the news outlet Stuff named as of Action Zealandia.

The group disavowed Mr Brittenden’s actions, calling them “immature and unproductive as we do not use violence to reach our goals”.

“Action Zealandia does not commit the error of many ­conservatives who declare Islam to be their absolute enemy,” it said. “We will continue on our mission to build a community for young European New Zealanders.”

Mr Brittenden’s father told Stuff his son had “stuffed up”.

“I haven’t brought my son up to be like this,” Scott Brittenden said. “I’ve got to support my son. That’s the most important thing to me. I know he’s stuffed up but I’m not aware of anything because no one has told me all the facts yet.”

AAP